5 reasons Dampare’s appointment as IGP excites security experts, public

The appointment of COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) has received widespread goodwill from both security experts and the Ghanaian public.

Dr Dampare takes over from James Oppong-Boanuh from August 1, 2021.

Until his appointment, COP Dr Dampare was the Director-General in charge of Administration at the Service.

But why has his appointment gotten security experts and members of the public excited?

Prime News has been monitoring comments by experts and the members of the public and the following are what have been gathered as the reasons for the huge support that has greeted Dr Dampare’s appointment.

1. Excellent skills set and he’s coming at the right time

Many believe COP Dr Dampare is coming at a time when the reputation of police has sunk to dangerous levels.

Brutalities and abuse of civilians rights, lack of professionalism and a rife perception of insecurity in the country have been blamed on a timid police service.

Ophelia Mensah Hayford, who resigned as a police officer to contest and win her murdered husband’s Mfantsiman constituency seat, said Dr Dampare is the man to lift the image of the police service from the current opprobrium.

“Dr Dampare has come at the right time. At a time when the trust of police has gone down. This is a man who has diverse knowledge in the numerous portfolios within the police,” she told Joy News during a discussion.

She cited Dr Dampare’s wide experience as a police administrator, an auditor, an operations commander as valuable skills to guide him as IGP.

“In fact, he knows all the areas. During his tenure, we saw changes within the police service. So, he coming as the IGP I am positive and I know that he is going to bring a lot of changes and we are going to see a new policing,” she said.

2. Better police-media partnership

COP Dr George Akufo Dampare is a known champion of police-media partnership.

He believes ensuring peace, safety and security in a country was a collaborative effort.

Last year when he spoke at the launch of a framework on police-media relations, he said the police-media partnership had the capacity to deepen good governance in the democratic dispensation by ensuring those ideals.

He stated that both the media and police had a common goal of promoting transparency, accountability, rule of law and protecting the fundamental freedom and human rights of the citizenry, thus the need to enhance a healthy relationship between them.

It is no secret that the police-media relation has become somewhat harsh. The outgoing IGP was media-bashed for suggesting that Ghanaians should live with the perceived rising incidents of crime because it is only in heaven that there is no crime.

3. Assurance that things will be done right in the police service

The police have in recent times been criticised for cowing to political pressure and interference to the detriment of enforcing fundamental laws.

For instance, while the unauthorised use of police sirens by politicians and influential persons in government is a common feature, police at checkpoints or intersections look on helplessly for fear of losing their promotion.

But security expert, Prof Kwesi Aning, said Dr Dampare’s track record of enforcing the law without fear or favour signals an end to impunity and timidity in the service.

“Dr Dampare, on the Spintex road, on several occasions has stopped people, important people, who have sought to flout traffic regulations because they thought they were in more of a hurry than those who were in trotros,” he said about Dr Dampare during an interview.

He is confident that the new IGP will ensure that police officers stand taller, firmer, “with their backs straightened, their uniforms cleaner and not taking bribes along the road.”

“Those people in the Ghana Police Service have their days numbered because they are the people whose performance will threaten Dr Dampare’s success and he will not accept it,” Dr Aning submitted.

4. Dramatic change to policing

There is widespread expectation that Dr Dampare’s tenure as IGP will bring a dramatic change to policing in the country.

Prof Kwasi Aning is again one of the key proponents of this prediction.

Prof Aning, who is the Director of Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has said with the appointment of COP Dr Dampare Ghanaians will now experience a more sensitive and respectful policing.

"We are going to see a dramatic change in the way policing is done. Handsome, sensitive, respectful, collaborative but all predicated on the law," he said.

5. Best of both worlds

Aside from his policing achievements on the field, COP Dr Dampare is also an astute academic.

Dr Dampare previously worked as a Research Fellow and lecturer at King’s College London, University of London. He also lectured at the University of Cape-Coast (UCC), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Regent University College, and the DataLink University College. He is also one of the pioneer lecturers at the Business School of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi.

However, another security expert, Adam Bonaa, is cautiously optimistic about COP Dr Dampare’s appointment. He believes influential and corrupt politicians could make the new IGP’s work very difficult.

“I know Dr Akuffo Dampare very well and I am going to give him the benefit of a doubt believing that the politicians will not bastardise his administration, that they will allow him to do his work. But I do want to see him being very assertive,” Adam Bonaa urged the new police boss.